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The British Red Cross has re-opened its charity shops in phases, following Welsh Government guidelines allowing non-essential retail to open. Extensive new safety measures have been implemented by the charity to make sure its shops are safe for customers, volunteers and staff.  In Wales, six of the charity’s shops have opened including: Aberystwyth, Cardiff, Chepstow, Llandovery, Monmouth and Swansea. To check and call ahead if your local shop is open, visit www.redcross.org.uk/shop/find-a-charity-shop. In store physical distancing, quarantining of new donations,…

Possibly the oldest writing group in Wales, the circle came into being on 6th May 1947 when eleven people met to share their interest in and love of the craft of writing.  The format of future meetings began spontaneously when three manuscripts were read and constructively criticised. Seventy-three years later the Circle still meets every week, and Coronavirus  hasn’t stopped us with forty plus members joining a Facebook virtual group either on the usual Monday evening slot of 7 -9pm…

With just over a week to go until the deadline to apply for a slice of a £50,000 community fund, Wales & West Utilities is urging charities and bodies supporting people affected by the coronavirus pandemic to apply for support. The gas pipeline and emergency service established the Safe and Warm Fund in response to the crisis to help communities affected by the outbreak with essential funding. Wales & West Utilities has been working hard throughout the pandemic to make…

A brand new safe entry and ordering system designed to help hospitality venues safely welcome back guests has launched ahead of the planned opening of the industry next week. Swoope Eat is a direct response to the challenges posed by social distancing and packed with features to help venues safely navigate the need to operate at a reduced capacity, register guest information and handle table ordering with no contact, fewer staff interactions and digital payments. Bars, restaurants, cafes and other…

The Port of Cardiff has celebrated the start of a new contract with Valero, a global refiner specialising in the manufacture of transportation fuels and petrochemical products, which will help power the economy of Wales’ Capital city and the wider region. The new long-term agreement includes occupation of a 12-acre storage and distribution terminal adjacent to ABP’s Roath Dock in Cardiff which will be fed by coastal tankers utilising Cardiff’s multimodal and deep-sea connectivity. As part of the agreement, Valero…

To celebrate Refugee Week in its 150th year, the British Red Cross is focusing on the experiences and challenges that refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK are facing during the coronavirus pandemic. These challenges – including destitution, being separated from loved ones, and challenges accessing things like housing, work and education – are sadly not new, but have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Refugee Week is usually a celebration of the contributions refugees and people seeking sanctuary have…

Barnardo’s Cymru has seen a 45% surge in the number of children it has been asked to find foster families for in Wales during the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, the number of people approaching the charity to become foster parents in Wales has halved compared to the same period last year. From March 1st – April 23rd 2020, there were 140 referrals to Barnardo’s Cymru fostering service in Wales, up from 96 for the same period in 2019….

Based in the Vale of Glamorgan, the Amelia Trust Farm is a countryside sanctuary for all to enjoy. As an independent and local charity they support disadvantaged and vulnerable teenagers who are going through a difficult time. They are usually open to visitors throughout the year with woodland walks, animals to see, play areas, special events and a café. However, the Farm has had to close due to the current COVID-19 crisis and this has had a big impact on…

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Business Response Network has made nearly 1,200 (1,191) matches between local community groups, schools and charities and UK businesses that have been able to meet their urgent needs during the crisis.  In Wales, this equates to 84 matches with recipients. A recent example of a match in Wales is: Through ACT Training Ltd, a BITC Cymru member, the NBRN , was introduced to Ian Bills, the director of South Wales &…

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has made a substantial contribution to a major treatment breakthrough for COVID-19.   The health board was the first in the UK to open the RECOVERY (Randomised Evaluation of COVid-19 thERapY) trial, which found that the low-dose steroid treatment, Dexamethasone reduces deaths of hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19.   The trial, which was implemented by the University of Oxford, found that dexamethasone reduced deaths by one third in ventilated patients, and…